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The story of that amazingly influential and still somewhat mysterious woman, "Eleanor of Aquitaine," has the dramatic interest of a novel. She was at the very center of the rich culture and clashing politics of the twelfth century. Richest marriage prize of the Middle Ages, she was Queen of France as the wife of Louis VII, and went with him on the exciting and disastrous Second Crusade. Inspiration of troubadours and trouveres, she played a large part in rendering fashionable the Courts of Love and in establishing the whole courtly tradition of medieval times. Divorced from Louis, she married Henry Plantagenet, who became Henry II of England. Her resources and resourcefulness helped Henry win his throne, she was involved in the conflict over Thomas Becket, and, after Henry's death, she handled the affairs of the Angevin empire with a sagacity that brought her the trust and confidence of popes and kings and emperors.
Having been first a Capet and then a Plantagenet, Queen Eleanor was the central figure in the bitter rivalry between those houses for the control of their continental domains--a rivalry that excited the whole period: after Henry's death, her sons, Richard Coeur-de-Lion and John "Lackland" (of Magna Charta fame), fiercely pursued the feud up to and even beyond the end of the century. But the dynastic struggle of the period was accompanied by other stirrings: the intellectual revolt, the struggle between church and state, the secularization of literature and other arts, the rise of the distinctive urban culture of the great cities. Eleanor was concerned with all the movements, closely connected with all the personages; and she knew every city from London and Paris to Byzantium, Jerusalem, and Rome. Miss Kelly's story of the queen's long life--the first modern biography brings together more authentic information about her than has ever been assembled before and reveals in Eleanor a greatness of vision, an intelligence, and a political sagacity that have been missed by those who have dwelt on her caprice and frivolity. It also brings to life the whole period in whose every aspect Eleanor and her four kings were so intimately and influentially involved. Miss Kelly tells Eleanor's absorbing story as it has long waited to be told--with verve and style and a sense of the quality of life in those times, and yet with a scrupulous care for the historic facts.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Extremely well done biography,
By A Customer
This review is from: Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings (Harvard Paperbacks) (Paperback)
This superbly written, meticulously researched book is an excellent presentation of the known facts of Eleanor of Aquitaine's life. It's rare to find a biography that is quite forthright in delineating what we know for certain and what we do NOT know, while still making it an absolutely fascinating tale to read. I highly recommend this book.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent historical biography and guide to the era.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings (Harvard Paperbacks) (Paperback)
While somewhat dated in language and style, this is an extremely well researched and engaging biography of one of History's most interesting and influential women. As a definitely "historical" biography it covers in scholarly detail the multiple political and religious characters involved with Eleanor and, by association, the causes they espoused. This is not, then, a work for romance readers seeking the mythic chivalry and trappings found in popular works (though the richly detailed descriptions of the age and its nuances present just as compelling a story). This is rather a book for those interested in a comprehensive, historical biography of easily the most fascinating of all Medieval women, and a perceptive glimpse into the forces which surronded her world.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Scholary, but informative - a book more recent biography on Eleanor of Aquitqine simply could not get around - the ground work,
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This review is from: Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings (Harvard Paperbacks) (Paperback)
Eleanor (1122-1204), Duchess of Aquitaine in her own rights, Queen Consort of France and England, is stuff for legends. Her life was by any means extraordinary. A ruling duchess and Queen Consort of France should have given her already a dutiful place in history books. She went on a crusade, she divorced her husband and married his biggest rival, the King of England, Duke of Normany and Count of Anjou. She became the mother of three Kings and two Queens: Henry, the young King who never ruled, legendary King Richard the Liionheart and King John Lackland. She was imprisoned by her husband afetr she revolted with her sons, but as Dowager Queen became the real force behind the throne.
Amy Kelly, a Harvard academic and Associate Professor at Wellesley College, published this book shortly before her retirement in 1950th. It was her major work and one feels the passion she put into her work. As there are many books around Eleanor, from historial novels to serious works I suppose the evaluation of this book depends very much what you are looking for. Amy Kelly's book is one of the books all the other authors read. It is the base for all those book and studies and already this is remarkable. It is indeed interesting to see what the primary sources actually say about this Queen. Without any doubt it is an important work. Kelly is frank about issues in Eleanor's life that are disputed. It is however a more scholarly approach. This book doesn not seem to be meant for more casual, but for serious mediveal history readers. So it is not that a smooth read, but it not too pedantic for its more casual followers. The language I feel is a bit dated. I still enjoyed reading it as it gave me a deeper understanding of this extraordinary woman and queen. But honestly, I could not get really excited.
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